Professor Layton and the Untimely Illness
by ThinkingCAPSLOCK
Summary: Flora and Luke strive to find a way to cheer the bedridden professor.


**Professor Layton and the Untimely Illness**

The professor was never late. He never wasted time, preferring to make use of every moment. It only took a little time to change a lifetime—or at least, that is what he thought. Time was both valuable and affordable.

It was because of this personal belief that it came to be that Luke stood outside the professor's door, shifting from foot to foot and waiting. His parents had allowed him to stay the weekend, but it was already nine o'clock Saturday morning and the professor had not come out. A true gentleman was always punctual, he'd always say!

…So where _was_ he?

"Luke, do you want some breakfast?" Flora poked her head out of her room. "I think Rosa made pancakes."

Luke looked over his shoulder. "Erm, I'll wait for the professor."

"He's not up yet?" Flora stepped out of her room, pulling her hair up and tying it with her trademark ribbon. "That's strange. I thought the professor always woke up at seven."

"I'm worried." Luke bit his lip, looking concernedly at the door.

"I'm sure it's nothing." Flora patted him placidly on the head. "It's not like he's dead or anything." She paused. "R-right?" The two exchanged fearful looks.

"Professor!" Luke shouted, pulling at the doorknob. "Flora, it's locked!"

"Professor!" Flora called. "What should we do? Oh, no, it's—"

"Goodness, you two. I was afraid the house was on fire!" Rosa exclaimed, coming up the stairs, a silver tray of food in her hands. "Don't bother the poor professor now."

"Rosa, the door is locked!" Luke said.

"The professor is dead!" Flora added.

"He's not dead! What gave you that idea?" Rosa chuckled. "This door doesn't even have a lock, Luke. It's just _old_. Hold this a moment, m'dear." She passed the tray to Flora, then grasped the doorknob in both hands. "You've just got to touch it the right way, eh?" She wrenched the handle to the side and gave it a heavy hip check. The door opened with a loud _thunk_.

"Professor!" Before Rosa could react, Luke pushed past and ran to Layton's bed. "Professor! Professor! Profess—"

"Oi, you!" Rosa stomped over and caught Luke by the collar, pulling him away. "Don't be so loud!"

A chuckle rose from the dark bed. "It's alright, Rosa." Rosa made an indignant noise, but let the boy loose. Luke immediately returned to the professor's side.

"P-professor!"

"It's fine, my boy."  
"Are you dying, professor?" Flora asked. "P-please don't die!"

"Calm down, you two. I'm not dying. It's merely a cold."

"W-what's a cold?" Flora looked at Luke.

"Flora, you don't know what a cold is? Haven't you ever gotten one?" Luke replied in surprise.

"I can't know if I've gotten one if I don't know what it is. I've _been_ cold, but—"

"Alright, out. Both of you! The professor's got his hands full fighting off the virus without you two squabbling about." Rosa shooed the two from the room, taking the tray from Flora as she went. "Here you are, professor. I made you some soup, drink it while it's hot."  
'"Thank you, Rosa, and my apologies. I'm afraid this came on rather suddenly. I never would have agreed to let Luke stay if I had known I would be so incapable—"

"Water under the bridge, professor. Eat up, now, get your strength back. I'll take care of the children for you. Get your rest, too, you look exhausted."

"You have my gratitude."

"Just leave the bowl on the bedside table when you're finished, I'll collect it later."

"Thank you."

Rosa grinned at the man, then left the room, closing the door quietly. "Now, then!" she growled, turning to the children. "Are you quite convinced he's not dying yet?"

"I think so. Luke told me what a cold is. It doesn't sound like what happened back in my village," Flora replied.

"Your village had robots, Flora, it's different," Luke corrected.

"I _said_ it was different, didn't I?" Flora snapped in annoyance.

"Yes, yes. Go wash up and go eat breakfast, let the professor have his peace."

"Yeeesss," Flora and Luke chorused dully, running down the stairs.

[Asterisks]

"The professor is feeling sick, right?" Flora asked around a mouthful of toast.

"Yes." Luke downed half a glass of juice in one go.

"We have to make him feel better, then, right?"

Luke chewed a piece of apple thoughtfully. "I suppose so."

"How can we do that, though?"

"Er, make him tea or something?"

"How is that different from what I do normally?"

"You could, um, not make a mistake this time."

Flora pouted. "I _do not_ make mistakes! I'm great at making tea!"

"If you say so." Luke finished his food, bringing the dishes to the kitchen sink.

"You're horrible!" Flora collected her own plates and followed him. "Don't you want to help the professor?"

"O-of course I do! I'm his number one apprentice, after all!"

"Then help me think of something!"

"F-fine!" Luke returned to the living room and hopped on to the couch.

"Any ideas?" Flora sat in the overstuffed armchair across from him.

"I-I'm thinking! Don't rush me!" Luke replied. "Hm… Well, whenever I'm sick, my mum makes me hot soup to drink."

"But Rosa already did that."

"I-I didn't say that's what _we_ should do!" Luke replied. "Um, my mum…she also reads to me sometimes, or sings."

"Ooh! Yes, that! We could read to him!" Flora exclaimed.

"But what could we read? All the professor has is dusty old textbooks, and I think he's read all of them anyway."

"You're ruining it, Luke…"

"I-it's not my fault!" Luke flushed. "W-we could make him something, I guess."

"Make him something?"

"Like draw him a card or sew him a pillow or…I don't know."

"What would you like someone to make for you?"

Luke blushed. "W-why me?"

"I wouldn't know what normal people want, now, would I?" Flora bit her lip nervously. "I really want to help."

"You're pretty nice, Flora."

"O-of course I am!" Flora leaned back in the chair, tapping out a rhythm on the side. "How about we make him a teddy bear? I think I have a pattern in my room!"

"A…a teddy bear? Isn't he a little old for that?"

"Aren't _you_ a little old for that? I've seen your trunk, there's a—"

"A teddy bear is fine!"

"I thought so." Flora smiled sweetly. "I'll go get the materials!" She sprang to her feet and ran to her room before Luke could say another word.

She returned moments later, breathless and laden with an array of fabrics. She carefully laid everything out on the floor, smiling at her work. "Oh, this is exciting! Aren't you excited?"

"S-sure. I don't really know how to sew, though, Flora."

"It's okay! You leave that part to me! You can stuff it when I'm done making the parts, okay?"

"Alright." Luke sat cross-legged on the floor across from her, watching as she cut pattern pieces and began to sew. "Where did you learn all this, Flora?"

"Back when I was in the village, my friends taught me. They were good at more than puzzles, you know! I can teach you, too, if you'd like."

"No thanks, I've got enough to do without _another_ hobby."

"Here, start by turning these inside out." Flora handed Luke a stack of pieces. Awkwardly, he began to fumble with them, turning pieces by piece inside out. "Stuff them when you're done, okay?"

"A-alright."

The two worked silently for a while, making slow progress on their joint project. Rosa interrupted once, bringing tea and snacks to munch on while they sewed. Finally, deep in the evening, Flora pulled the final stitch taught.

"Done!" She held the lumpy bear up to the light, smiling. "Isn't it great?"

"It looks sort of blobby, doesn't it?" Luke replied.

"No-it-does-not!" Flora snapped. "It looks like a bear!"

"I-if you say so," Luke agreed hastily. "But doesn't it need a face?"

"Yeah." Flora frowned. "I don't know how to embroider that well, though."

"Oh! I know! Wait right there, Flora!" Luke dashed out of the room, returning quickly with a bottle of paint and a brush. "I'll draw a face on with this!"

"C-can you do it right?"

"Of course I can! I'm not good at sewing, but I'm used to drawing notes in my book! A face should be easy!" Luke replied confidently, taking the bear.

As it turned out, drawing a face was not _quite_ as easy as Luke had expected. He looked rather sadly at the lopsided scrawl. "It…it _kind_ of looks okay, doesn't it?"

"If you squint a little, you can't tell," Flora comforted. "I'm sure the professor will love it."

"It gives the bear character."

The two jumped. "R-Rosa! We didn't see you there…"

"Wash up for dinner, now. The professor won't like it much if I let the pair of you starve."

"Yes, Rosa." They stood up, brushing stray bits of thread and fluff from their clothes, then went for dinner.

[Asterisks]

"How should we give it to him?"

"I don't know…we just go in?"

The two stood outside Layton's door, holding the bear between them.

"Y-you should give it to him, Luke. You're his apprentice."

"B-but he adopted you, Flora. You should do it."

Rosa rapped them both on the head. "Both of you, go! It's nearly bedtime."

"Sorry, Rosa." Flora grasped the doorknob and opened it the same way Rosa had demonstrated earlier. "Oof! That's a pretty awful door, someone should get it fixed."

"Professor?" Luke called.

"Yes, my boy?" Layton's voice was hoarse but still friendly. He shut the novel he had been reading, keeping a finger between the pages as a bookmark.

"Um, professor, we…we made you something," Luke said, glancing at Flora.

"G-get well soon!" Flora exclaimed, presenting the bear.

"What's all this?" Layton took the offered gift with a smile. "A teddy?"

"L-Luke said you might be too old, but I said, um, well…I'm sorry, professor. Do you not like it?" Flora blushed, looking away.

"Not like it? My dear, I love it. It's obvious you both put a lot of effort into it."

"I-I sewed the whole thing!" Flora exclaimed.

"A-and I stuffed it and painted the face, professor!" Luke gulped suddenly. "Er, don't look at the face, though."

"Why not, my boy? He's got quite the charming wink, you know." The professor laughed. "Thank you both. This is very thoughtful of you."  
"G-get well soon!" Luke said quickly.  
"Yes, please do!" Flora added.

"With this at my side, I most certainly will." The professor nodded, propping the bear in his lap. "I'm lucky to have both of you."

"Y-yes, professor!" Luke exclaimed.

"Come on, young'uns. Let the professor get back to his rest. It's bedtime now, you know." Rosa beckoned and the two left the room hesitantly.

"G-goodnight, professor!" they called as Rosa shut the door. Layton chuckled, gave the bear a pat on the head and returned to his novel.

[Asterisks]

"So that's what happened? No wonder it's so…obviously handmade."

"Now, now, my boy. Don't be rude."

"My apologies, professor. I wasn't trying to offend. It just didn't seem like your…_typical_ décor."

"Well, variety _is_ the spice of life."

"I'd have to agree with you there. It's nice they care so much about you if even back then they were doing this sort of thing."

"I'm a lucky man."

"I am rather envious, professor."

"Don't be. I'm sure the same will come about for you some day."

"I hope so."

"All it takes is a little time."


End file.
